1. In the beginning of the reign of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, this Word came from Jehovah, saying,
2. So says Jehovah, Stand in the court of the house of Jehovah and speak to all the cities of Judah which come to worship in the house of Jehovah, all the Words that I command you to speak to them. Do not keep back a word.
3. It may be that they will listen, and each man turn from his evil way, that I may repent of the evil which I plan to do to them because of the evil of their doings.
4. And you shall say to them, So says Jehovah, If you will not listen to Me, to walk in My Law which I have set before you,
5. to listen to the words of My servants the prophets whom I am sending to you, even rising up early and sending (but you have not listened),
6. then I will make this house like Shiloh, and will make this city a curse to all the nations of the earth.
7. And the priests and the prophets and all the people heard Jeremiah speaking these words in the house of Jehovah.
8. And it happened when Jeremiah had made an end of speaking all that Jehovah had commanded him to speak to all the people, the priests and the prophets and all the people seized him, saying, Dying you shall die.
9. Why have you prophesied in the name of Jehovah, saying, This house shall be like Shiloh, and this city shall be wasted, without one living in it? And all the people were gathered against Jeremiah in the house of Jehovah.
10. When the rulers of Judah heard these things, then they came up from the king's house to the house of Jehovah and sat down in the entrance of the New Gate of Jehovah.
11. And the priests and the prophets spoke to the rulers, and to all the people, saying, Let a death sentence be for this man, for he has prophesied against this city, as you have heard with your ears.
12. Then Jeremiah spoke to all the rulers and to all the people, saying, Jehovah sent me to prophesy against this house and against this city all the Words that you have heard.
13. So now make good your ways and your doings, and obey the voice of Jehovah your God, and Jehovah will repent toward the evil that He has spoken against you.
14. As for me, behold, I am in your hands; do with me as seems good and right to you.
15. But know for certain that if you put me to death, you shall surely bring innocent blood on yourselves, and on this city, and on those living in it. For truly Jehovah has sent me to you, to speak all these Words in your ears.
16. Then the rulers, and all the people, said to the priests and to the prophets, There is not a sentence of death for this man, for he has spoken to us in the name of Jehovah our God.
17. Then some of the elders of the land rose up and spoke to all the assembly of the people, saying,
18. Micah of Moresheth prophesied in the days of Hezekiah, king of Judah. And he spoke to all the people of Judah, saying, So says Jehovah of Hosts: Zion shall be plowed like a field, and Jerusalem shall become heaps, and the mountain of the house like the high places of a forest.
19. Did Hezekiah, king of Judah and all Judah indeed put him to death? Did he not fear Jehovah and entreat the face of Jehovah? And did not Jehovah repent of the evil which He had spoken against them? So we are doing great evil against our souls.
20. And there was also a man who prophesied in the name of Jehovah, Urijah the son of Shemaiah of Kirjath-jearim, who prophesied against this city and against this land according to the words of Jeremiah.
21. And when Jehoiakim the king, with all his mighty men, and all the rulers, heard his words, the king tried to put him to death. But Urijah heard, and he was afraid, and fled, and went to Egypt.
22. And Jehoiakim the king sent men to Egypt, Elnathan the son of Achbor, and men with him into Egypt.
23. And they brought Urijah out of Egypt and brought him to Jehoiakim the king, who struck him with the sword, and threw his dead body into the graves of the sons of the people.
24. But the hand of Ahikam the son of Shaphan was with Jeremiah, that they should not give him into the hand of the people to put him to death.